Argentinian Mariano Puerta routed unseeded countryman Juan Monaco to win the Grand Prix Hassan II tennis tournament in Casablanca on Sunday.

Puerta, the sixth seed, won the final 6-4 6-1 to claim his third career title and first of 2005 after losing his two previous final appearances this year.

Puerta needed one hour, 18 minutes in windy conditions to become the third Argentinian to win this event since 1990.

"I was really nervous at the beginning because I wanted to win this final so badly," Puerta said.

"The conditions weren't easy, either. There was a lot of wind and the crowd affected us quite a bit."

The 26-year-old Puerta, who defeated second seed Filippo Volandri of Italy in Saturday's semi-finals, had lost to compatriots Edgardo Massa at La Serena and Gaston Gaudio at Buenos Aires in his first two finals of 2005.

Puerta's triumph was his second in as many claycourt matches against Monaco this year, having beaten the 21-year-old in the first round of the Vina del Mar tennis tournament in January.

Monaco had defeated Czech Tomas Zib in straight sets on Saturday to advance to his first career ATP Tour final.

"I'm a little bit disappointed about today," Monaco said. "The conditions weren't easy, it was windy and the crowd really affected me, unfortunately."